Handled end load carton

ABSTRACT

A carton having a central partition foldably connected to a bottom wall having a sliding handle member connected to a tab projecting from the bottom wall by frangible elements spaced outwardly from the foldable connection between the bottom wall and the partition whereby on erection of the carton, the frangible elements are broken thereby freeing the sliding handle member from the projection. Also disclosed is a carton having a central partition with an aperture therethrough and a guide bar formed therein immediately below the aperture. A handle is formed by wrapping a piece of board about the upper end of the partition and securing the free ends of the board to opposite sides of the guide bar. Movement of the handle draws the guide bar into the aperture with the movement of the handle being limited by contact of the guide bar with the partition at the upper end of the aperture.

United States Patent [191 Akkerman 1 HANDLED END LOAD CARTON [75]Inventor: Allardus A. Akkerman, Calgary,

Alberta, Canada [73] Assignee: Dontar Limited, Montreal, Canada [22]Filed: Nov. 27, 1972 [21] Appl. N0.: 309,775

[30] Foreign Application Priority Data Dec. 21, 1971 Canada 130774 [52]US. Cl. 229/52 B, 220/22.1, 220/105, 229/27, 229/41 B, 229/52 BC [51]Int. Cl B6511 5/46, 365d 5/48 [58] Field of Search... 229/41 A, 41 R, 52A, 52 B, 229/68 C, 17 SC; 220/104, 105

[56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 3,105,608 10/1963 Engel 220105 3,079,040 2/1963 Vesak 220/105 2,961,124 11/1960 Hunter et al...220/104 2,252,023 8/1941 Mulnix 229/41 B 3,511,434 5/1970 Dews 220/105['11] 3,807,625 5 Apr. 30, 1974 Primary Examineh -william 1. Price vAssistant Examiner-Bruce H. Bernstein 1 e en 15?! r F rmec d W.

A carton having a central partition foldably connected to a bottom wallhaving a sliding handle member connected to a tab projecting from thebottom wall by frangible elements spaced'outwardly from the foldableconnection between the bottom wall and the partition whereby on erectionof thecarton, thefrangible elements are broken thereby'freeingthe'sliding handle member from the projection.

Also disclosed is a carton having a central partition with an aperturetherethrough and a guide bar formed therein immediately below theaperture. A handle is formed by wrappinga piece of board about the upperend of the partition and securing the-.free ends of the board toopposite sides'of the guidebar. Movement of the handle draws the guidebar'into the aperture with the movement of the handle being limited bycontact of the guide bar with the-partition at the upper end of theaperture.

10 Claims, 8' Drawing Figures HANDLED END LOAD CARTON FIELD OF THEINVENTION The present invention relates to a handled end load carton,more specifically the present invention relates to an end load cartonhaving a substantially self-freeing handle structure and to a new handlearrangement.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PRIOR ART Many types of handled end load cartonsincorporating a basic Figure 8 design, i.e. a type of carton havingintegrally connected in series a partition panel, bottom panel, sidepanel, top panel, second side panel, and second bottom panel have beenproposed (in some cases the bottom panels become the top panels and viceversa). One such carton has a tear-up handle that is formed by aprojection extending from the partition panel and secured to the toppanel with the top panel scored so that part thereof breaks away toreinforce the handle. In another proposed arrangement, the hand hole isformed in the partition wall and access is provided by an access holeformed in the top wall. It has also been proposed to provide a slide-uptype handle as shown for example in Canadian Patent No. 872,656 issuedJune 8, 197l to Bathurst Paper Limited. The present invention isdirectedprimarily to the slide-up handle type carton and provides asystem of producing a slide-up handle utilizing relative little board.

SUMMARY OF INVENTION The present invention provides a modification ofthe box shown in Applicants copending Canadian Application No. 124,245filed Oct. 1, 1971 that facilitates separation of the handle structurefrom the partition.

It is the main object of the present invention to provide a partitionedbox structure incorporating a handle that is at least partially freedfrom the partition during the erection of the box whereby withdrawing ofthe handle through the top of the carton into carrying position isfacilitated. I

It is another object of the present invention to provide a new handlestructure that facilitate guiding of the sliding movement of the handlerelative to the partition as it is moved from its inoperative to itscarrying position or vice versa.

Broadly, the present invention comprises a carton having a centralpartition, a fold line connecting said partition to a bottom wall, asliding handle member connected to a projection extending from saidbottom wall by frangible elements spaced outwardly from said fold linerelative to said bottom wall.

Broadly, the present invention also relates to a carton having a centralpartition with an aperture therethrough spaced from the top edge of thepartition, a guide bar is formed in the partition immediately below theaperture and is of less length than the aperture whereby the bar maymove into the aperture when freed from the partition. A handle member iswrapped around the top edge of the partition and is secured to oppositesides of the bar.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS Further features, objects andadvantages will be evident from the following detailed description of apreferred embodiment of the present invention taken in conjunction withthe accompanying drawings in which:

FIG. 1 is a plan view of one form of blank incorporating a self-freeinghandle structure;

FIG. 2 is a plan view of the partition and handle structure after thehandle has been folded into position relative to the partition; 1

FIG. 3 shows partial view of a partly erected container formed from theblank of FIG. 1 illustrating the freeing of the handle from the bottomof the carton;

FIG. 4 is a partial top view of a modified blank incorporating thebreak-away feature of the FIG. 1 embodiment with a totally differenthandle type structure;

FIG. 5 is a plan view of a blank from which a handle for use with thecarton blank of FIG. 4 may be formed;

FIG. 6 is a partial isometric view illustrating the handle and partitionof the blank of FIG. 4 with the handle freed from the partition;

FIG. 7 is a section view along the line 7-7 of FIG. 6 illustrating thehandle in retracted position, and

FIG. 8 is an enlarged view similar to FIG. 7 but showing the handle inextended operative or carrying position.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS Referring to FIG. I, the blank10 from right to left is composed of a first bottom panel 12, a firstside panel 14, a top panel 16, a second side panel 18, second bottompanel and a partition panel 22 interconnected by a set of substantiallyparallel fold lines 24, 26, 28, and 32 respectively. The panels l2, l4,l6, l8 and 20 have end closure flaps 34, 36, 38, and 42 respectivelyfoldably connected to opposite ends thereof by fold lines 44 and 46. I I

The'top panel 16 may be provided-with any suitable opening means such asthe frangible lines of weakness 48 to permit access to the filled andclosed carton. In the illustrated arrangement a pair of thumb holes 50are formed along the center line of the panel 16 by suitable lines ofweakness and fold lines so that they may be punctured into thecarton-and the underside of the top panel 16 engaged to tear up alongthe lines 48 and thereby open the carton.

The top panel 16 is also provided with a slot 52 through which thehandle to be described in more'detail hereinbelow may be-withdrawn. Tofacilitate such withdrawal a pair of flaps 54 are formed on oppositesides of the slot 52 and are foldable on fold lines 56 and 58 into thecarton to permit access to the handle.

The partition 22 in FIG. 1 embodiment is divided into a pair of panels60 and 62 by a central handle member 63. Each of these panels 60 and 62has a retaining flap 64 foldably connected thereto along a fold line 66.Similarly a glue flap 68 is foldably connected to each of the panels 60and 62 by a fold line 70 and is provided with an end flap 72 foldablyconnected thereto by a fold line 74 substantially perpendicular to thefold line 70. The fold lines 66 and 70 are substantially parallel to theset of fold lines 24, 26, 28, 30 and 32'.

The handle member 63 is composed of a retaining section 76 foldablyconnected to a securing section 78 by a fold line 80. Each of thesesections 76 and 78 is provided with a hand hole 82 which when the twosections 76 and 78 are folded in face-to-face relationship align toprovide a hand hole in the handle member 63. The retaining section 76 isprovided with a pair of laterally projecting flanges 84 that limit themovement of low.

the handle member 64 in the finished carton by cooperating with the foldline 66 as will be described hereinbe- The securing section 78 issecured to a projection 86 extending from the bottom panel by afrangible line of weakness 88 having in the illustrated arrangement apair of frangible elements 90 and 92 positioned outwardly of the panel20 relative to the fold line 32.

In the FIG. 1 arrangement, it will be noted that the side edges of thepanel member 64 between the fold line 32 and the flanges 84 extend in asubstantially straight line which is substantially perpendicular to thisfold line 32. This permits relative sliding movement of the handlemember 63 and the partition 22 when their interconnecting frangibleelements are broken and function to guide such relative movement. Ifdesired, the side edges of the member 63 may be connected to the panels60 and 62 by frangible elements 94 and to the flaps 64 by frangibleelements 96. These frangible elements 94 and 96 need not always beprovided. However, to facilitate handling it is generally preferred tohave at least the frangible elements 94.

The handle structure of the FIG. 1 embodiment is formed by folding thehandle section 76 on fold line 80 into overlying relationship with thehandle section 78 and if desired securing these two handle sectionstogether. During this folding operation, the elements 96, if present,are broken. The flaps 64 are folded over so that each flap 64 overlies alateral flange 84 on the section 76 and the flaps 64 are secured to thepanels 60 and 62 respectively in the area laterally beyond the end edgesof the flanges 84 so as not to interfere with the movement of theflanges when the handle member 63 is moved to operative carryingposition.

After the handle has been formed and the flaps 64 have been secured inposition to trap the flanges 84 between these flaps 64 and the panel 22,the remainder of the box is formed in'the conventional manner by foldingalong the fold line 30 and adhesively securing I the flaps 68 and 72 tothe top panel 16 and end flaps 38 respectively followed by folding alongfold line 26 and securing the border section along the free edge ofpanel 12 and flaps 34 to panel 20 and end flaps 42 respectively therebyto provide a knock-down end load carton incorporating a handlestructure.

In the knock-down position, the bottom panel 20 and partition panel 22are in substantially the same plane and the handle member 64 is held inposition by the frangible elements 90 and 92 connecting the bottom edgeof the section 78 to the tab 86 projecting from the bottom panel 20 andby frangible elements 94 (if provided) connecting the section 78 to thepanels 60 and panel 22 out of the plane of bottom panel 20. Theprojection 86 is not foldably connected to the panel 20 and remainssubstantially in the plane of panel 20 whereby the frangible elements 90and 92 are broken to free the panel 78 from the projection 86 (see FIG.3). Thus the only remaining connection between the handle member 63 andthe partition panel 22 are the frangible elements 94 which will bebroken when the handle member 63 is pulled from the carton to itsoperative carrying position.

It will be apparent from the above that the FIG. 1 to 3 embodimentprovides a carton having a handle mem ber formed from the same blank asthe remainder of the carton and wherein the handle member issubstantially freed from the remainder of the carton during themanufacture and erection thereof. After the carton has been erected, thehandle member 63 is retained in position between the partition panel 22and the flaps 64 and is permitted to slide vertically therebetween untilthe flanges 84 on the handle member 63 engage the fold line 66connecting the flaps 64 to the partition panel 22. In this position, thehandle projects above the top of the carton and the hand hole is freelyaccessible for carrying the cartonwhether loaded or empty. Thearrangement of the frangible elements at least some of which are brokenduring the manufacture permits formation of a carton having a slidinghandle incorporated therein with the handle retained in position andrequiring a minimum force to separate same from the partition to permitmovement to its operativecarrying position.

In the modified arrangement shown in FIGS. 4 to 8 inclusive, likereference characters followed by a prime have been used to indicate thesame elements as in the FIG. 1 to 3 embodiment.

The partition panel 22 of the FIG. 4' to 8 embodiment is quite differentfrom the panel 22 of the previous embodiment. Panel 22' is formed withan aperture 100 which terminates spaced from the fold line 32' and fromthe top edge 1020f the partition panel 22?. The space between the topedge 102 and the top of the aperture100 provides a retaining bridge 104to limit the movement of the handle as will be described hereinbelow.

At the bottom of the aperture 100 is a guide bar 106 which in theillustrated arrangement is substantially the same width as the aperture100 and is held in the partition panel 22 by frangible elements and 92and if desired frangible elements'94'. The aperture is so sized relativeto the bar 106 that the bar 106 can be received in the aperture 100 bymoving the bar 106 substantially perpendicular to the fold line 32'.

To form the handle for the FIG. 4 embodiment, a second blank 108 (seeFIG. 5) is used. This blank 108 may be formed from boxboard or the likeand is provided by a pair of panels 110 and 112 foldably interconnectedby fold line 114. The panel 110 is provided with a hand hole 1 16 whichin the illustrated arrangement has a flap 1 18 formed therein. This flap118 is foldably connected to the panel 110 by a fold line 120 and isprovided with a further pair of fold lines 122 substantially parallel tofoldline 120 which are adapted to facilitate folding of the flap 118through a hand hole 124 formed in the panel 112 when the handle is inoperation thereby to protect the fingers.

The handle 126 (see FIGS. 6, 7 or 8) is formed by wrapping the blank 108about the partition panel 22' so that the fold line 114 is locatedsubstantially parallel to the top of the panel 22' and the panels 110and 112 overlie opposite sides of the bar 106. These panels 110 and 112are secured in any suitable manner to opposite faces of the bar 106.Preferably, the panels 110 and 112 are slightly wider than the length ofthe bar 106 whereby side portions of the panels 110 and 112 overlap thesections of panel 22' bordering the ends of the bar 106 and the aperture100 (see FIG. 6). This arrangement aids in guiding the handle 126 whenit is slid to and from its operative carrying position.

The top edge 102 of the partition panel 22' is provided with suitablenotches 128 to accommodate the fingers projecting through the holes 50in the top panel during the opening operation and with a notch 130 tofacilitate engagement of the handle for lifting same out of the carton.

As with the FIG. 1 to 3 embodiment, the box of FIGS. 4 8 is formed intoa knock-down container and then during erection the frangible elements90' and 92' are fractured in the same manner as described hereinabovewith respect to the FIG. 1 to 3 embodiment whereby the bar 106 isretained in position only by the frangible elements 94 if such elementsare used. These elements are fractured when the handle member 126 isdrawn upwardly and the bar 106 slides in the aperture 100 until the topedge 132 of the bar 106 contacts the bottom edge 134 of the bridge 104thereby limiting the upward movement of the handle 126.

The side edges of the apetture 100 tend to guide the movement of the bar106 while the overlap of the border sections of the panels 1 10 and 112of the blank 108 with the partition panel 22' on opposite sides of theaperture 100 and bar 106 further ensures that the handle memberl26slides substantially in the desired plane (see FIGS. 6, 7 and 8). Ifdesired the aperture 100 may taper and wider than the bar 106 at itsbottom end.

The handle structure of the FIG. 4 to 8 embodiment incorporates theself-freeing feature of the FIG. 1 to 3 embodiment. Obviously, ifdesired, the fold line 32' could extend the full length of the cartonand no tab 86 be provided. In this particular case the bar 106 could beprovided with substantially parallel top and bottom edges formed bylinesof severance and be connected to the panel 22' only by a pair offrangible elements 94. v I

Further modifications will be evident to those skilled in the artwithout departing from the theory of the invention as defined in theappended claims.

I claim:

1. A carton comprising a central partition, a fold line connecting saidpartition to a bottom wall, a handle member in part formed from saidpartition, a projection extending from said bottom wall across said foldline, frangible element means connecting said part of said handle memberto said projection, means retaining said handle member in positionadjacent said partition while permitting relative sliding motiontherebetween, said handle member moving with said partition when saidcarton is set up from a knock-down condition whereby said frangibleelement means are broken.

2. A carton comprising in seriatum a first bottom wall, a first sidewall, a top wall, a second side wall, a second bottom wall, and apartition foldably interconnected by a set of substantially parallelfold lines, a handle member, means retaining said handle member inposition adjacent said partition while permitting sliding movement ofsaid handle member relative to said partition from an inoperativeposition within said carton to an operative carrying position, aprojection extending from said second bottom wall across the fold lineconnection between said bottom wall and said partition panel, frangibleelement means connecting said handle member to said projection, saidfrangible element means breaking upon relative movement between saidsecond bottom wall and said partition during erection of said cartonfrom its knock-down condition to its set up condition.

3. A carton defined in claim 1 wherein said handle member comprises aretaining section and a securing section foldably interconnected, saidmeans retaining including a pair of flaps'foldably connected to saidpartition on a fold line substantially parallel to the fold lineconnection between said partition and said bottom wall, each said flapsoverlying a flange projecting laterally of said retaining section.

. 4. A carton defined in claim 2 wherein said handle member comprises aretaining section and a securing section foldably interconnected, saidmeans retaining including a pair of flaps foldably connected to saidpartition on a fold line substantially parallel to the 'fold lineconnection between said partition and said bottom wall, each said flapsoverlying a flange projecting laterally of said retaining section.

5. A carton as defined in claim 3 further comprising further frangibleelements connecting said handle member to said partition.

6. A carton as defined in claim 4further comprising further frangibleelements connecting said securing section to said partition.

7. A carton as defined in claim 2 wherein said handle member comprises aretaining bar formed in said partition, a separate handle elementwrapped about said partition and'secured to opposite side faces of saidbar, and aperture in said partition into which said bar may be movedduring said relative sliding movement between said handle member andsaid partition.

8. A carton comprising a partition panel, an aperture in said partitionpanel having a top edge spaced from the top edge of said partition, aguide bar formed in said partition panel at the bottom of said aperture,frangible elements temporarily holding said guide bar in position insaid partition, a handle forming element wrapped about said top edge ofsaid partition and secured to opposite faces of said guide bar, saidaperture and said guide bar relatively dimensioned so that said guidebar may be lifted, breaking said frangible elements into said apertureand-into contact with said top edge of said aperture thereby to limitthe movement of said guide bar and thus of said handle forming element.

bar.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE CERTIFICATE OF CORRECTION Patent No: 3,807,625 Dated: April 30, 1974 ALLARDUS A. AKKERMAN It is certified thaterror appears in the above identified patent and that said LettersPatent is hereby corrected as shown below:

Title Page: Below [75] Inventor: Allardus A. 'Akkerman, Calgary,

Alberta, Canada Correct: [73] Assignee: "Dontar Limited, Montreal,

Canada To read: [73] Assignee: Domtar Limited, Montreal, Canada Signedand sealed this 24th day of September 1974.

(SEAL) Attest:

MCCOY M GIBSON JR. C. MARSHALL DANN Attesting Officer Commissioner ofPatents

1. A carton comprising a central partition, a fold line connecting saidpartition to a bottom wall, a handle member in part formed from saidpartition, a projection extending from said bottom wall across said foldline, frangible element means connecting said part of said handle memberto said projection, means retaining said handle member in positionadjacent said partition while permitting relative sliding motiontherebetween, said handle member moving with said partition when saidcarton is set up from a knock-down condition whereby said frangibleelement means are broken.
 2. A carton comprising in seriatum a firstbottom wall, a first side wall, a top wall, a second side wall, a secondbottom wall, and a partition foldably interconnected by a set ofsubstantially parallel fold lines, a handle member, means retaining saidhandle member in position adjacent said partition while permittingsliding movement of said handle member relative to said partition froman inoperative position within said carton to an operative carryingposition, a projection extending from said second bottom wall across thefold line connection between said bottom wall and said partition panel,frangible element means connecting said handle member to saidprojection, said frangible element means breaking upon relative movementbetween said second bottom wall and said partition during erection ofsaid carton from its knock-down condition to its set up condition.
 3. Acarton defined in claim 1 wherein said handle member comprises aretaining section and a securing section foldably interconnected, saidmeans retaining including a pair of flaps foldably connected to saidpartition on a fold line substantially parallel to the fold lineconnection between said partition and said bottom wall, each said flapsoverlying a flange projecting laterally of said retaining section.
 4. Acarton defined in claim 2 wherein said handle member comprises aretaining section and a securing section foldably interconnected, saidmeans retaining including a pair of flaps foldably connected to saidpartition on a fold line substantially parallel to the fold lineconnection between said partition and said bottom wall, each said flapsoverlying a flange projecting laterally of said retaining section.
 5. Acarton as defined in claim 3 further comprising further frangibleelements connecting said handle member to said partition.
 6. A carton asdefined in claim 4 further comprising further frangible elementsconnecting said securing section to said partition.
 7. A carton asdefined in claim 2 wherein said handle member comprises a retaining barformed in said partition, a separate handle element wrapped about saidpartition and sEcured to opposite side faces of said bar, and aperturein said partition into which said bar may be moved during said relativesliding movement between said handle member and said partition.
 8. Acarton comprising a partition panel, an aperture in said partition panelhaving a top edge spaced from the top edge of said partition, a guidebar formed in said partition panel at the bottom of said aperture,frangible elements temporarily holding said guide bar in position insaid partition, a handle forming element wrapped about said top edge ofsaid partition and secured to opposite faces of said guide bar, saidaperture and said guide bar relatively dimensioned so that said guidebar may be lifted, breaking said frangible elements into said apertureand into contact with said top edge of said aperture thereby to limitthe movement of said guide bar and thus of said handle forming element.9. A carton as defined in claim 8 wherein said aperture and said guidebar each has its length in the direction substantially perpendicular tothe direction in which said bar is lifted substantially equal wherebyend edges of said apertures may cooperate with end edges of said bar toguide movement of said bar.
 10. A carton as defined in claim 9 whereinsaid handle forming element is wider than the length of said guide barand projects from opposite ends of said guide bar.